Wire-stretcher.



T. C. PAYNE.

WIRE STH'ETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. \918.

1 ,289,252 Patented Dec, 31, 1918.

THOMAS CHARLTON PAYNE, OF ST. ALBANS, WEST VIRGINIA.

WIBE-STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filedMay 8, 1918. .Serial No. 233,266.

To all "whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS C. PAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Albans, in the county of Kanawhaand State of est Virginia, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in VVire- Stretcher-s, of whichthefollowing is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wire stretohers, and has for its primary object to provide a simple and durably constructed tool for tightening or stretching wire fence strands either in the erection of a new fence or in the repairing of an old fence.

It is another and more particular object of the invention to provide a wire stretching tool including a body bar having a shoulder formed therein, and means mounted upon the body bar for tightlyclamping a fence wire against said shoulder as the bar is turned around the fence post.

It is also another object of the invent-ion to provide a wire stretching tool which is -also equipped with means for cutting the wire and for pulling nails and staples.

And it is a further general object of the invention to provide a device as above characterized, the several parts of which are of very simple form and can be manufactured at relatively small cost, the device as a whole being light in weight so that it may be handled or operated with ease and facility.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved combination, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, subsequently claimed and illustrated in the aecompanying drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view showing the tool in dotted lines as it is first arranged relative to the fence post, and also illustrating in full lines the position of the tool with respect to the post after the wire has been stretched;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the tool; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the metal body bar of the tool which may be of any desired length, and this bar, in spaced relation to one of its the plane of said body bar.

the bolt 10 fixed in the body bar.

ends, is angular-1y offset as at 6, the end por- ,tion 7 of the bar being longitudinally extended from the offset in parallel relation to This endportion 7 tapers to its extremity as shown and is formed with an angularlyprojecting ter minal lug or spur 8 which may be conveniently employed for the purpose of pulling or extracting staples from the fence post.

Upon one side of the bar 5, in spaced relationto the angular offset 6 therein, a lever 9isfulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon This lever is provided upon one end with a cam head 11, the edge of which is opposed to the offset 6 in the body bar. The lever 9, at the opposite side of the pivot bolt 10, is laterally curved and longitudinally extended to afford a suitable handle 12. The lever is also transversely bent or curved as at 13 at the inner end of the handle 12 to dispose said handle in the plane of the body bar 5 whereby the pivotal movement of the lever in one direction will be limited.

Upon the end portion 7 of the body bar, inspaced relation to the shoulder or oifset 6, a curved arm or bar 14 is pivoted at one of its ends as at 15. The free end of this arm is sharply turned inwardly and terminates in a gripping or penetrating point 16, which is adapted for engagement with the fence post.

The bar 5 at its other end is laterally bent or curvedas at 17, and the terminal thereof inwardly extended and formed with a nail extracting jaw 18.

The tool bar 5 is provided in one edge adjacent the pivot bolt 10 of the lever 9 with a notch or recess 19, the edge of which is preferably sharpened, and the edge of the lever 9 adjacent to this notch is also sharpened to provide a cutting edge 20 thereon.

In the use of my improved wire stretcher, the bar 5 is first arranged, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, with the extremity of the tapering end portion 7 engaged against one side of the fence post. The fence wire strand is then arranged between the cam end 11 of the lever 9 and the offset 6 in the body bar and said lever turned upon its pivot until the edge of the cam come into binding engagement with the fence wire. The bar 5 is then turned or swung in a horizontal plane with respect to the fence post and at the same time is moved inwardly. In this movement of the body bar the fence wire strand is stretched or pulled taut, and as the pull or tension on said wire increases, the lever 9 is further moved upon-its pivot to more tightly bind the cam 11 against the wire until the handle portion 12 of the lever comes into contact with the edge of the bar 5. The body bar will then be disposed at right angles to the fence post and at one side thereof with the fence wire engaged against said post. The curved arm ll is now swung to the full line position seen in Fig. 1 so that its point 16 will penetrate or bite into the fence post at the far side thereof and thus hold the tool bar 5 against reverse turning movement and prevent slackening of the fence wire. The operator may now securely staple the wire to the fence post. The handle end 12 of the lever 9 is then swung laterally away from the bar 5 and the tool removed from'the fence wire. In this manner, the several Wires of the fence may be easily and quickly stretched or tightened with a minimum of manual labor. The device may thus be employed either for the stretching of the wires in old fence being repaired or in stretching the wires in the erection of a new fence. When it is necessary to cut the wire, it is inserted in the notch or recess 19 in the edge of the bar 5 and the lever 9 then swung upon its pivot to engage the sharpened edge portion 20 thereof with the wire, whereby the latter is cut or severed. The spur 8 and the jaw 18 on the opposite ends of the body bar also provide convenient and serviceable means for extracting staples and nails.

be easily and quickly applied in operative position, and actuated with a minlmum of manual exertion. Thedevice can, of course, be constructed in many different sizes, and While I have herein shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of O the several elements employed, it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of considerable modification and I therefore reserve the privilege of adopting. all such legitimate changes as may be fairly em- I,

bodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim A wire stretching tool bar angularly ofi'set in one of its ends, a lever pivotally mounted upon one side of said bar and having a cam on one end to clamp a fence wire against the offset in the body bar, said lever on the opposite side of its pivot extending in the plane of the body bar and adapted for contact against one-edge thereof to limit the pivotal movement of the lever in one direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature.

TnoMAs CHARLTON PAYNE.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

comprisinga body I spaced relation to 1;. 

